lost my steering sailing around Saltspring
mike goldstein, Thu Jun 23 2011, 11:02PM
Sailing around Saltspring Island on my MAC 26M yesterday, the steering cable between the help and rudder control apparatus either detached or broke – the wheel turn freely.
We managed to get the sails down and control our course by detaching the outboard (suzuki 70 hp) from the rudder apparatus (short removable rod) and manually shoving the outboard in small increments from side to side to maintain course. Today we did the same thing for the last 30 nm back to the boatramp in Brentwood Bay. The boat is home and safe and waiting to be repaired.
Does anyone have a clue how to proceed ? – can I repair this on my own? How do I access the linkage between the wheel and the cable?
Do anyone around Victoria or ?? have any experience with this type of repair. I would pay someone to help me do this.
Thanks for any feedback, Mike
Re: lost my steering sailing around Saltspring
Mystic Rose, Sun Jul 03 2011, 07:33AM
HI,
I bet that was a bit of a worry when it happened. Anyway, your probably all fixed by now. I would check with one of the dealers for trouble shooting. Then ask them for an opinion about the ease of repairing. Most of the steering for the M is open, either to the outside or in the cabin. Hope you get all fixed soon.
Gerry
Re: lost my steering sailing around Saltspring
saynomore, Sun Jul 17 2011, 08:54PM
Mike,
my experience on the M is the nut and bolt below the cockpit where the arm joins the cable. If it is outside the linkage nut between the spreader and the engine would be my guess to check if nut has freed itself.
Take the time below deck and go tighten all the fittings. I did, I sail now knowing it is done right.
.
